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Sports

NAC Taekwondo Team Brings Home 22 Medals

The Newtown Athletic Club Taekwondo team sent 17 members to the U.S. Nationals Junior Olympics this year.

The Newtown Athletic Club Taekwondo team sent 17 athletes to the U.S. Nationals Junior Olympics and returned with four national champions and a total of 22 medals.

The team, with members ranging from 7 to 15 years old, represented the state of Pennsylvania in the Junior Olympics, which were held June 28 to July 3 in San Jose, Calif.

NAC’s Taekwondo director Master Robert Smith was beaming with pride for his team. 

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“Those kids worked so hard," he said. "They dedicated themselves to 12 to 15 hours training every week.”

Smith said his students put in so much effort and training this year and really came together as a team. They even put in hours of training on Friday nights and Sunday mornings so they could perfect their routines. 

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“Most of my students are pretty well-rounded, but some do have events they really stand out in,” Smith said.

One of Smith’s students, Shelby Gallagher, 14, became a two-time defending champion in the weapons category.

“I was so nervous…really scared when I headed out there,” Gallagher recalled.

She said having her teammates, who have become good friends, helped her stay calm and do her best during the competition.

Gallagher was the youngest in her division comprised of 14 to 17 year olds. She won her first gold in the weapons category last year at the Junior Olympics in Orlando.

“The most important things you need to show when competing are that you know your routine, you have good stances, good power and that you can keep your cool,” Gallagher explained.

She said she is already training for next year and hopes to compete again in the weapons category as well as the event, spor poomsae, which is an open-handed technique and is very technical.

A few of Smith’s students have their sights set on qualifying to compete in the Olympic trials that will be held next year.

Taekwondo is a Korean martial art. According to Smith, many of his students begin by ages 5 or 6, but he said some don’t start training until they are a bit older.

“It’s a very individual sport, so a lot of their advancement and speed of learning depends on the student,” he said.

Over the past three years, 64 NAC Taekwondo students traveled to the U.S. Nationals Junior Olympics and the team has won at least 11 gold medals combined.

“I always say we’re the best-kept secret in Newtown,” said Smith.

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